News

Sex crimes in Scotland could rise if the Scottish executive goes ahead with plans to close Peterhead Prison, Aberdeenshire Council is warning.

Earlier this year, the executive announced it planned to close the unit and move the 300 sex offenders housed there to prisons in central Scotland where most of the men originate. But Aberdeenshire Council, whose area includes Peterhead, has sought advice on the decision from a range of people including the former head of the Scottish prison service Peter McKinlay.

McKinlay has voiced concern that Peterhead's renowned Stop programme, which works with sex offenders, would be adversely affected. Opposing the planned move, he said: "I don't believe that the transfer of the Stop programme to other prisons could be achieved without serious disruption and risk of increased offences." McKinlay has recommended that a new purpose-built unit is constructed on the present site, which could house all of the estimated 500 sex offenders in prison in Scotland.

The executive's plans, which include the closure of two state-run prisons, will produce an estimated saving of £700m.